Whether she’s front row at Fashion Week or serving as creative consultant for Puma, Solange always knows how to make a bold impression. The younger Knowles, who resides in New Orleans these days, brightens up the pages of Harper’s Bazaar with her colorful style.

“You can pull images of me from seven to 14 years ago and I was absolutely nuts,” says Solange of her past looks. “I have always been drawn to interesting pieces and colors, but I didn’t quite know how to limit myself and make those statement pieces work.”

In the magazine, the singer opens up about her early career and fashion, her nine-year-old son Julez, and being labeled a “tastemaker.”

Read highlights and see more photos of the Solo star below.

On following in Beyoncé’s footsteps: “My parents constantly tried to talk me out of being an artist. They had gone through the whole journey with my sister and just wanted me to have a normal teenage life.”

On her early career: “I still stand behind the stuff I did early on, but I was on a record label and I didn’t have a lot of creative control. Another side of that is just being young and having bad taste. There was plenty of that too.”

On getting married and having a son at age 18: “In a lot of ways, emotionally and mentally, I feel far older than 27. Just going through a marriage and a divorce—which I essentially did by 21—will give you an insane amount of perspective on life.”

On being called a “tastemaker”: “I’ve always had an annoying relationship with the term ‘tastemaker,’ but it’s been a defining part of my career for the past couple of years.”

On her son Julez: “I’m constantly trying to push him to work at the U.N., or be a diplomat. I try to convince him by explaining that he wouldn’t have to wait in lines at the airport, and that he can park anywhere.”